Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-03-02

from the burning fiery furnace, and, ii
Twill deliver US out ofthine hand, o king
But if not, be it known unto thee, o King
| that we will net serve thy gods, nor worshi
| the golden image which thou hast set up.
+ Dear friends, let us be ready to suffer fo
| Christ's sake. Seme will say, "De not b
| imprudent." 1t is always prudent. to d
your duty. We have not enough newaday
Of the virtue nicknamed imprudence.
would like to see display of
oLD-FAsHIoNED IMPRUDENCE
in these Geld, calculating, selfish days. OF
for the days of zeal, the days when mel
counted not their lives dear to them tha
| they might win Christi Men sit down an(
eckon up what it will cost them to d.
right, and weigh their conduct as matter
| of profit and loss, and then they call sucl
wicked calculations prudence. 1t is sheel
selfishness. Do right, if it cost you you
life. You may lose great deal for Christ
out you will never lose anything by Christ
You may lose for time, but you will gair
for eternity; the loss is transient, but the
gain is everlasting.
If it be true that you are willing thus tt
follow Christ, reckon upon deliverance
Nebuchadnezzar may put you into the fire
but he cannot keep you there, nor can he
make the fire burn you. The enemy casts
you in bound, but the fire will loosen youl
bonds, and you will walk at liberty amic
the glowing Goals. You shall gain by YOU
losses, you shall rise by your down castings
Many prosperous men owe their present
position to the fact that they were faithfu
They were honest, and for the momen
thox Iicn1o codf ~; plo nd s,,f h
end earned their esteem. When
ADAM CLARKE
was put out apprentice, aud his master
showed him how to stretch the cloth wher
it was little short, Adam could not find il
in his heart to do it. Such a fool of a boy
must be sent home to his mother; and hi
godly mother was glad that her boy wa.
such fool that he could not stoop to
dishonest trick. You know what he be
came. He might have missed his way il
life if he had not been true to his principles
in his youth. Your first loss may be a life
long gain. Dear young fellow, you may
be turned out of your situation, but the
Lord will turn the curse into blessing.
Lastly-and this is consideration MOI
to be forgotten-if you will stand up fol
Jesus, and the right and the true and the
pure and the temperate and the good, mo-
only will you be delivered, but you will dC
great good. This Nebuchadnezzar was 3
poor piece Of goods; yet he was compelled
to acknowledge the power of these three
decided and holy men. They were thrown
into the furnace, and
THEY CAME OUT
of it; and what said Nebuchadnezzar /? Just
now it was: "The image that l have SCI
up" and now he declares that no man shal
speak word against the God of Israel or
pain of being cut in pieces. There is nc
having influence over the great men, or the
little men of this age, except by being firm
in your principles, and decided in what you
do. If you yield an inch you are beaten
but if you will not yield-no, not the split.
ting Of hair-they will respect yeu.
The man who can hide his principles,
and conceal his beliefs, and do little
wrong, is nobody. He is a chip in the
porridge; he will flavor nothing. But he
who does what he believes to be right, and
cannot be driven from it-that is the man.
You cannot shake the world if you let the
world shake you; but when the orld finds
that you have grit in you, they will let you
alone. Nebuehadnezzar was obliged to feel
the influence of these men, and even so, the
most wicked and the most proud feel the
force of the true-hearted, the brave, and the
good. For this let US pray God to give us
new hearts and right spirits. For this let
US cling to the blessed cross of Christ, and
yield ourselves UP to the power of the blood
and water which flowed from His wounded
side. So shall our lives be powerful; if not
illustrious in the eyes of men, they shall be
acceDtabla in the ewes of God